RE: [Sri Ramakrishna] Fireworks.....

[Guest guest]

My answer to the questions will be as under:

Q 1. " What do you say about compassion in Hinduism - it does not

agree with my experience of visiting Kali temple in Calcutta

with blood and sacrifice and destruction everywhere.... "

A1. Hindu compassion is best depicted in its respect for all religions and

even to those who criticise Hinduism. Hindus have never issues fatavs

(death warrants) against non-hindus or never have taken the attitude of one

upmanship.

Hinduism has many forms of worship. The sacrifices at the Kali temple are

one of the ways in which some followers believe. This is not the whole of

Hinduism. In most other temples there are no such sacrifices in temple

precints hence to point out sacrifices at a particular temple to prove a

point is incorrect.

Q2 " How can a nation talk of divinity in man and also

have the caste system? "

A2. The question is an example of crooked thinking. Divinity is a

spiritual concept, caste is a social concept. All Hindu gods are of the

lower caste. Ram was Kshatriya, Krishna an 'other backward class', SHiva a

tribal, and so on and so forth. Indian History is full of Kings which were

of lower castes. Indian History generally begins with Chandragupta Maurya

who was a untouchable.

 

Why caste persists? Ask Indian politicians. They will like it to persist

that is the way to power. At the level of ordinary man it is soon

disappearing. Look what it was some years back and what it is today.

Intercaste marriages were unheard of some years back now probably it is most

common thing.

Again why do Christians have a caste system? Why churches for black are

saperate? why lower caste Hindu's who have converted to Christianity still

practice caste system?

 

Q3 " Idea of evil as cause of suffering is far better than the Hindu or

Buddhist ideas of progress of living things towards

the final goal where suffering is overcome by realising

the ultimate reality "

A3. To say far better is being judgemental. who decides this? I don't think

the idea of evil is far better I find it to be very childish concept that

can appeal to people with lesser intelligence. Once you start branding

people as 'evil' you start the blame game. why blame any one else rather

than oneself? Just as charity begins at home all reforms begin with self and

hence the Hindu idea is intellectually most appealing.

 

 

 

Vivekananda Centre [vivekananda]

Wednesday, 30 January 2002 10:36 AM

list

[sri Ramakrishna] Fireworks.....

 

 

Dear list

 

I have made it a habit of sharing some of my experiences

in London with the list.

 

The experience tonight was a kind of fireworks show : )

 

I was asked by the London Interfaith to talk to a group of

20 Church of England Ministers at their

College on the role of Interfaith.

 

On Saturday I gave them a talk on 'pluralism' and how

it can help with interfaith ideals. That was

extremely well received. The group could not stop clapping.....

 

But then something or someone may have become

concerned.. So the meeting we had tonight focused

not only on the new topic being covered which was

'Respect for life in Hinduism' but also

on 'other questions' they wished to ask of Hinduism....

So I was waiting for some pointed questions, and they

came hard and fast.

 

I have always taught our youngsters that you should not

only know the strengths of all religions but

also their weaknesses. When you encounter people of

other faiths you sometimes need a sword as well as

a shield.

 

Well today I had to use the sword of 'Vivekananda' in

no uncertain manner. It is not the pointed questions that

worry me . I have dealt with these questions in a very

polite manner many a times in the past.

It was the mannerism in which they are asked that

was not acceptable! Well the questions as you can imagine

were something like:

 

" What do you say about compassion in Hinduism - it does not

agree with my experience of visiting Kali temple in Calcutta

with blood and sacrifice and destruction everywhere.... "

 

" How can a nation talk of divinity in man and also

have the caste system? "

 

" Idea of evil as cause of suffering is far better than the Hindu or

Buddhist ideas of progress of living things towards

the final goal where suffering is overcome by realising

the ultimate reality "

 

Questions came hard and fast and the way they were

put across can best be described as a serious put-down

of Hinduism in favour of Christianity.

 

Well I stood my ground and with clenched teeth,

let fly without any reservations......

 

I think and hope our mentor is : )

 

jay

Vivekananda Centre London

 

 

 

 

Sri Ramakrishnaye Namah

Vivekananda Centre London

http://www.vivekananda.co.uk

 

 

[Guest guest]

Hi,

Since the subject is on defending our religion i thought i would add a

point i stumbled upon.

 

When the great kanchi paramacharya was asked the same question of how to

defend our religion against others he said - the best way is to live the

religion , for everyone to become what our religion proclaims as the end.

 

and as swamiji often used to say that it is personalities who move the world

and

not philosophies.

 

-Raj

 

 

> My answer to the questions will be as under:.................